


A Second Chance

by lexiatel



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:07:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28174410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lexiatel/pseuds/lexiatel
Summary: A child claiming to be Draco's daughter shows up at his Manor.  It seems Hermione Granger had forgotten to inform Draco that he had fathered her baby. A baby that, without his knowledge, she had put up for adoption.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 16
Kudos: 122





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas! This year's Dramione Christmas story. 
> 
> It's completely written. The rest of the 7 chapters will be released soon!
> 
> Have an awesome holiday!

Draco sighed heavily, sinking into the hot bath water. He closed his eyes, relishing the heat penetrating his sore muscles. He had a rough day and desperately needed the bubbling soak. He winced, thinking about the bruise at his thigh, earlier hit by a stray bludger from the game he had played.

Sometimes he thought about quitting the Holly Head Harpies quidditch team, but Draco deeply enjoyed playing the game, and the fame that came along with it didn't hurt him a bit either. Besides, he couldn't quit now, his team had been coasting at the top this season, undefeated.

Still, Draco was getting too old for professional quidditch playing. There was going to be a day when he would have to throw in the towel and face the music. Being in his mid thirties, Draco's body wasn't healing as fast as it used to, and he wasn't oblivious enough not to notice. Each injury was taking longer and longer to recover from, and some weren't completely healed before he had to be back on the pitch.

"Dad?"

Draco rubbed a hand cross his forehead, groaning out from the hammering headache that he was suffering from. 

"Scor, I told you that I needed break."

"I know Dad, but someone is here to see you--"

"Tell them to sod off!" Immediately Draco regretted his words and sat up in the tub, horrified over his son expressing such rude behavior. "Scorpius, I didn't mean that!" There was silence on the other side of the bathroom door. His son didn't respond. Scorpius, no doubt, took his father's request to heart.

Draco muttered a curse, slipping back into the water. Whatever the outcome was, he'd deal with it later. He was just too tired to worry about it at the moment.

"Scorpius?" Draco called out an hour later after his joints loosened up some. He tied a dark green robe around his body and walked down the hallway, calling out again for the thirteen-year-old.

"We're in here, Dad!" Scorpius hollered out from the level beneath him.

 _We?_ Draco wondered. Apparently who ever wanted to speak with him couldn't wait for another day. Draco guessed that it was the team's manager. Darlene Ruepint had expressed her annoyance with Draco, stating that he had let the Snitch get away three times before he finally caught it. She advised that he get eye glasses. They had gotten into a heated verbal argument over that.

Draco was never going to wear _glasses_! Never.

Scorpius met Draco at the doorway, looking uneasily in the room. Draco saw that he had guessed wrong about Darlene being the visitor and instead, there was a girl, younger than Scorpius, sitting at a table, playing with the pieces to a board game.

"Care to introduce me to your new friend?" Draco asked his son, suddenly aware that he was a bit underdressed for their guest.

Scorpius sent the girl a cautious look and "Well, um…" He glanced from the girl then to Draco and back again at the girl. 

Draco gave Scorpius a questioning look, heavily interested in what was going on.

"She says her name is Kenzie, and get this, she told me that _you_ are her dad." Scorpius crossed his arms over his chest, awaiting for an explanation.

Draco choked back a chuckle. He shook his head in disbelief. "I'm not her father, Scorpius."

"She has proof, Dad," Scorpius stated flatly. "Well, the paper _looked_ authentic anyway." 

"Paper?"

"The test result."

"Test result? What kind of test is it the result of?"

"A test of magical blood heritage which is claiming that you are her father."

Draco peered into the room where the girl was, narrowing his eyes in confusion. Not to say that he hadn't had any lady company since his divorce from Astoria, but he made sure that specific _things_ were addressed before there was any bedtime _play_. 

Had she been sent by someone as some sort of plot to harm his public image? Or were they seeking money to hush whatever this hoax was?

She didn't look anything like him. She had short, light brunette hair that curled slightly at the tips. Malfoys sired platnium blond children, like he and Scorpius were.

Draco had to get to the bottom of this issue, whatever the reason it was. He inched himself back into the room, thinking of how he was going to address the situation.

"You believe that I am your father?" He decided to go straight to the point. 

The girl looked up from the board game where she had been previously moving around random pieces in her boredom. She looked him up and down. "I don't look anything like you," she stated, sounding just as doubtful as Draco felt.

"Scorpius mentioned papers. Let's see them." Draco extended out his hand, prompting her to show them to him.

She opened up a bag that she had brought with her and revealed a rolled up piece of parchment. "Before you think that you can _destroy_ this, you should know that I have had several copies made. Just in case there's any funny business."

Draco took the paper from the girl, noting her no-nonsense attitude over the idea of him being her father.

He carefully unrolled the parchment paper and read it over.

" _You, McKenzie Grace Wilson, have requested to run a search for the potential match of magical blood in hopes to locate one or more of matching blood to your magic._

_It is by the order of the International Confederation of Wizards that regarding one, nine-year-old, McKenzie Grace Wlison, two strong matches of magical blood ties have been found. These results are as follows:_

_Draco Lucius Malfoy, 37 (father)_

_Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, 13 (brother; paternal)_

_Please note, matches can only be made by samples that are in our records. Several magical families opt out of this service, and some persons (such as witches or witches born from Muggles) may not even be entered into the system."_

The International Confederation of Wizards official seal was stamped on the parchment, indicating that the paper was indeed an authentic test result. 

McKenzie Grace Wilson was his daughter.

"Where's your mother?"

"If you're talking about my birth mother, I was hoping you would know."

"I have no idea who your mother is."

McKenzie rolled her eyes. "I know where babies come from, so you _had_ to have done _something_ in order to create me! You _do_ know how babies are made, right? I hope to _God_ that you weren't some _bumbling_ idiot fooling around with some random woman. At one time, you and my mother had to have went into the bedroom, and you, being the one with the peni--"

"How do you even know this information?!" Draco gasped in disbelief over the detail she was about to describe.

"It's called a _book_ ," she responded with sarcasm. " _And_ , there's the internet too. Bunch of videos on there. It's really a gross act! I'm never going to do _that_ when I'm an adult!" She shuddered.

Draco wasn't going to lie to himself and say he was upset to hear that. He made a mental note to learn what she meant about the internet though. He'd research that later. It sounded like something she shouldn't have unlimited access to.

"So you were adopted then?" Draco changed the subject quickly.

McKenzie nodded. "At birth."

"Where are your adopted parents?"

Her eyes dropped to the floor at her feet. "Gone…" she whispered.

Draco pressed his lips together. He didn't want to cause her any pain, but he needed to know the details. "What happened to them?"

"They went out on a broom ride and got lost last year in a winter storm. I never seen them again."

Draco nodded, and he exchanged looks with his son. Scorpius looked like he had swallowed a slug. Draco probably didn't look any better.

"Who have you been staying with for all these months?"

McKenzie shifted her feet uncomfortably. "I was by myself for a while, until the aurors discovered that I was all alone. They sent me to live in an orphanage."

"It says here that you requested the blood search yourself, didn't the orphanage do that already for you?"

"Well, sure, but they only searched for my mother's blood, and my mother isn't on the record, as you can see."

Draco's eyebrows furrowed, confused, finding it odd that they only ran searches for one parent. "Why didn't they search for your father's blood?" 

"How would I know?!" she retorted with a toss of her hands."It's a dumb thing not to do, if you ask me!"

He nodded, going silent in thought. He pictured where he had been ten years before this day, and a lump immediately formed into his throat. Draco looked down at his daughter who was becoming increasingly ansty, uncomfortable with his staring at her.

He didn't know why he hadn't seen it before, but besides her grey eyes that she had inherited from her Malfoy blood, McKenzie Grace was a near spitting image of her mother.

"Would you mind watching her for a bit?" Draco requested of his son who gave him a funny look.

"I guess…?" Scorpius answered slowly, but Draco hadn't waited for his son's permission. He sprinted up to his room to get dressed.

He and Hermione Granger had a lot to talk about. 


	2. Chapter 2

Draco inhaled a deep breath as he knocked on Harry Potter's door. He shivered into the fur coat that he wore, trying to protect his face from the chilly, winter breeze.

"Malfoy," Harry addressed when he opened the door, surprised to see the blond standing on his door step. "Everything alright?"

"Potter, I apologise for bothering you at this hour, but I really need Granger's address."

Harry lifted up an eyebrow. Curiosity clung to his face, but he motioned Draco inside without questioning him. There was a desk near the door, and he opened the drawer to it, pulling out a pen and a piece of paper. "I saw you and Darlene had another row this afternoon."

Being an auror, Harry was occasionally hired to ensure the games didn't get too out of hand. He especially enjoyed this because he'd get to watch a lot of the quidditch matches while getting paid to do so. He and Draco had met up a few times over the years, and while they weren't exactly friends, the two wizards got along alright.

Draco rolled his eyes. "She insulted me, so naturally I had to insult her back. You know how she is."

"I'm surprised you haven't shagged her already."

Draco snorted. "We've hooked up. Once."

Harry paused his writing of Hermione's address to gape at Draco. "Really?"

"Well don't look surprised! _She_ came on to _me_! I'm irresistible, after all!"

Harry shook his head, chuckling. He folded up the paper and held it out to Draco. "May I ask your interest in Hermione after all these years? Looking to rekindle something?"

"I'm sure you'll find out soon enough. It'll be in tomorrow's Evening Prophet, I'd wager." He then thanked Harry and bid him goodbye, hiding a smirk. Harry was dying for more details involving his childhood friend.

"Draco Malfoy," Hermione sang out when she answered her door. A smile spread across her lips. "What brings the only male Hollyhead Harpies player to my doorstep?"

Obviously Draco and Hermione once had a history. After his ugly divorce with Astoria, Hermione and Draco dated for a few months, but Hermione ended the relationship abruptly, stating that she didn't want to dampen his quidditch career, which had taken a lot of Draco's time. 

Perhaps it was for another reason though.

"You need to invite me inside," Draco stated firmly. He was calm. It was best to address the situation rationally, and he would try to remain that way.

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "If you're looking to score, I'm not interested."

"Noted. Now let me in."

Hermione tilted her head. "Why for?" she asked him, suspicion hanging in her tone.

Draco dug his hands deeper into his pockets. "Because it's bloody well freezing out here, and we need to talk!"

"About _what_?" Hermione planted her hands to her hips, becoming impatient with him.

"Oh, I don't know," Draco started off sarcastically, "Let's talk about the time you gave birth to my daughter, didn't tell me about her existence, and then put her up for adoption! How's that sound?"

Hermione's face deadpanned. Her lips twitched a bit before she silently stepped back from the doorway and gestured him inside.

Hermione's home was tiny. _Cozy_ , but tiny. She could afford more, but she wasn't a big spender. When they were dating, Draco's extravagant spending drove her mad. She'd go into lectures of how many people (children especially) went hungry, but Draco never felt guilty because he was born rich. Sure, Draco knew he was lucky to have what he had, but it was not his fault that some people were poor.

Draco watched as Hermione fumbled around in the kitchen that was adjacent to the living room that she had directed him to sit in. From his place at the sofa, he could see her hands tremble slightly as she busied herself with making tea.

"Tea?" she asked when she was finished, having quickened the task with her magic. Her voice was several notches higher than normal.

"Yes, please. No sugar."

She placed several festive-looking biscuits onto a bright red platter, and Draco nearly licked his lips in anticipation of sinking his teeth into one of the sweets. Hermione made some fantastic biscuits. Some of the best he had ever had. 

When she set a tray down in front of him on a coffee table, he made no hesitation to snatch a biscuit from the platter and take a delicate bite from it. He closed his eyes, savoring its sweet, buttery flavour. It brought back memories. Memories of her. Memories of _them_.

_"Draco!"_

_"OUCH! Damn it, Hermione, you didn't have to_ smack _me!" Draco massaged his sore hand from her whacking of it with a wooden spoon._

_"You'll make yourself sick eating raw dough!"_

_"I'll have you know that I've been eating biscuit dough since before I was even out of my nappies, and I've never been sick from it!" He snatched the beater out of the bowl and proceeded to lick the metal clean, grinning as she tapped her foot at him in a chatise._

_"I'm sure that I can find a better use for that tongue of yours, Draco" she said with a raise of her eyebrows, causing him to choke on a swallow. It surprised him how naturally she slipped that one out._

"How did you find out?"

"No," he started sternly. " _You_ will answer _my_ questions first."

Hermione took a sip of her tea with a thoughtful frown. She put the teacup down and settled into an armchair, tucking her feet underneath her. "Alright, what do you want to know?"

Draco inhaled a slow, deep breath. His pulse was picking up, but he wanted to remain calm. He was angry, yes, but Hermione wouldn't say a damn thing if he yelled at her. Even if he was justified.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were pregnant?"

"When Astoria won custody of Scorpius, you didn't seem too upset by it. You just got accepted into the quidditch league, and it appeared to me that you didn't really want to play the father role. _Or_ a lover..."

Draco's chest ached. What she said wasn't true in the slightest. He _had_ wanted custody for Scorpius! Oh, it nearly killed him when he learned that he'd only get to see his son once a week! Astoria had spent more time with Scorpius though, and the mother and son had a stronger bond than Draco did with Scorpius. It was only fair that Scorpius live with his mother. Draco wasn't going to harm his child's wellbeing for his own selfish reasons.

"Quidditch distracted me from the loss I had in my life. The divorce was a horrid one, as you well know from the popperozzi rumours. Our marriage was an arranged one, and canceling out a contract between Pureblood ties is an absolute nightmare. It _devastated_ me to give up my son, but I couldn't separate him from his mother."

"You never explained your feelings to me. It was like your personal life didn't even exist."

"I didn't feel it was necessary to our relationship."

"I know."

"I needed distractions."

"Which I provided. Until you become famous." Her eyes narrowed at him in accusation.

"Wait, how did this conversation get twisted in my direction? _I'm_ not the one who hid a _baby_ from her _father_."

She lifted her chin up. "I felt your _distractions_ were more important to you. I wasn't ready to raise a family, and you enjoyed the fame just a bit too much. You weren't at all interested in raising a baby on your own."

"And it was _wrong_ of you to make that decision for me!" Draco snapped out, slightly losing his calm demeanor. He took another deep breath, vowing not to lose his temper.

She nodded. "Perhaps it was, but I did it anyway. There's nothing I can do to change that. I do see how it has deeply affected you, and I apologise for my quick judgement. _Would_ you have raised the baby on your own though?"

"Would _you_ have allowed _me_ to do it on my own? _Could_ you have just ignored that a baby and I even existed? Do you actually believe you would have ignored her existence after dropping her off on me?"

Her eyes shifted down to her cup of tea. She leaned forward to take it into her hands and sip at it. "Maybe that's what I was afraid of," she confessed with a whisper.

"What?" he asked, somewhat confused by what she meant. "What were you afraid of?"

She smiled, though there was no amusement in her expression. She looked hollow. Blank. "Commitment. You were the first decent relationship I ever had, and I knew that it shouldn't be my last. I wasn't ready to settle. A baby would have forced you to think that we would need to settle for each other. You had just renounced a forced marriage, Draco. I didn't want you to believe that you needed to enter into another."

Her words packed a powerful punch, and they were absolutely true. Draco would have certainly wanted to marry Hermione if he had known that she had been carrying his child, and given how he was back ten years ago, it wouldn't have lasted. Their relationship would have been messier than Draco's first marriage, simply because he had strong feelings for Hermione Granger. He had cared for her, as both a lover and a friend.

He nodded. Draco didn't have to like it, but he understood her reasoning. If he had been in Hermione's position, he probably wouldn't have done anything differently than she had.

"I chose a grand pair of candidates for her, Draco. She's going to have the best life she could ever have."

"It's just too bad her adoptive parents disappeared."

Hermione gaped at the mouth. "Oh, no! Wait, is _she_ okay?!" Hermione's face turned a green colour.

"She's fine," Draco assured her softly. "She found _me_ through our blood ties-- inherited your brains, no doubt. Merlin, her sarcasm can put me up for a run of my money though!"

"She _found_ you?"

"Yes."

"So where is she now? If her parents are missing?"

"At my Manor. Scorpius is watching her for me."

Hermione leaped up from the armchair, and she hurried to the door where a coat rack stood, pulling her coat from it. "Take me to her!"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Why would you want to see the daughter who you didn't even want to raise in the first place?"

"Hey, I have my regrets, Draco! There's not a day that goes by in which I don't think about her! Now, _please_ , would you take me to my daughter?"

Draco stood from the sofa. "Of course. Let's just hope she's just as understanding as I am of you adopting her out."


	3. Chapter 3

"How can you not know that Dad is a famous quidditch player?!" Scorpius asked in disbelief. "He's on the front page of nearly every Daily Prophet during the season!"

"Well, my mum used to think the media is all rubbish, so none of us paid attention to it," Kenzie explained. "My mum and dad didn't care for quidditch much either."

Scorpius looked at Kenzie like she was some nutcase. "Quidditch is my dad's  _ life _ . I hope to be famous like him one day."

"He can't play quidditch forever. Besides," she made to point out in a matter-of-fact, "now that I'm here, he's going to have think more about me and less about quidditch."

"If you think he's going to quit his job, you're crazy! My dad has been playing since before you were born! That's almost  _ ten _ years!"

"Scorpius, he's not some young chicken anymore! Contact sports are tough on the body! How many professional players are in their forties?"

Scorpius shrugged. He took a moment to plan his next move in the checkers game that they were playing. "Not many at all. Two, maybe..."

"Well there you go then-- king me!" She giggled in delight when he let out a groan. "Did I mention that I placed first in the checkers tournament last year?" Kenzie offered in a not-so-innocent tone.

"You failed to inform me of that, yes," Scorpius grumbled.

"Thank you, Scorpius," Draco told him gratefully a few minutes later. Scorpius saw that his father was now accompanied by a woman, and it didn't take much of a thought to know that she was the birth mother to Kenzie. The woman looked quite identical to Kenzie, only much older.

Scorpius watched as Kenzie and the woman (who he faintly knew as Hermione Granger) stare at each other until Kenzie abruptly stood up and ran to Hermione, wrapping her arms around the Hermione's waist.

"You're  _ her _ !" Kenzie announced through a sob. "You're my birth mum!"

Hermione bent down and let out a series of sobs before picking the girl up into her arms. "Yes, sweetheart, it's me!"

Kenzie then burst into tears. " _ Why _ ?!" she wailed out. "Why did you get  _ rid _ of me?! Didn't you  _ love _ me?! What was  _ wrong _ with me?!"

Hermione continued to cry. She was so emotional that she couldn't even speak for a few moments, and the two just held onto each other, weeping away.

Finally, she set the girl back on her feet and wiped at her eyes, then did the same to Kenzie's loose tears that stuck to her cheeks. She smiled down at the girl. "It was  _ never _ you!  _ Never _ ! Do you understand? I just wasn't ready to be a mum, and I felt the couple who adopted you were just perfect! They had been trying to have a family of their own for years, and you were their little  _ miracle _ !"

Kenzie nodded, using a sleeve to wipe away the the stray tears. "Mummy always said I was her miracle baby! She thought you were great! She was so happy that you gave me to her! Daddy was too, of course! They told me how smart you were, that you were the smartest witch of the  _ entire _ world!"

Hermione laughed softly. "Well, I wouldn't say I'm  _ that  _ smart!" She took the child's hand and lead her to an oversized chair. "Tell me what happened to them, sweetheart. Tell me everything. I was told they disappeared?"

Draco and Scorpius left the room so the two could talk privately.

"What's going to happen now, Dad?"

Draco frowned, momentarily at a loss of what to do. With her adopted parents gone, that left McKenzie without a home, though neither Hermione nor Draco would allow that to happen. 

Draco swallowed down a forming lump in his throat. "I suppose there's nothing more to do than to take one day at a time, Scorpius."

*/*

"I want to take her home with me."

"You've hardly the living space for an extra person," Draco pointed out. He was upset that Hermione was already trying to take control of the situation. McKenzie came to  _ him _ , not her, and in addition, she didn't even want McKenzie to begin with. Hermione never gave Draco the option to raise his daughter, and it was beginning to look like she was going to do it a second time.

"She'll be fine there until we sort things out."

"Or, instead,  _ my _ daughter can live here, where there  _ is  _ space for her. A pick of her own room, if she pleases."

"There you go again, flaunting your riches! Honestly, have you at all changed?!"

"Do you know what _ I f _ eel?" he challenged with a cold voice. "I feel, since this was all  _ your _ mistake to begin with, that you shouldn't get to take control of it at all!"

"That's hardly fair," Hermione sounded hurt. "She's not just your daughter--"

"Well, you certainly didn't give me a chance to  _ be _ her father, did you?"

Hermione clamped her mouth shut. "Look, I'm sorry--"

"You should be--"

"But now, we're in this together--"

"Then stop trying to make all the decisions without discussing anything with me."

She nodded. Then Hermione sighed. "The adopted parents might show back up," she warned him. "I contacted the aurors in France, and they never found any bodies."

"What's your point?" He knew what she was hinting at, he really didn't want her to say it, but he was irritated that she dragged him into this disaster.

"There's a possibility that they'll come back, and…" She bit her lip, unwilling to continue.

"And I'm going to be a part of McKenzie's life whether they reappear or not. Even if I have to fight for it."

"They are her legal--"

"She's  _ my _ blood!" he shouted, finally losing his cool. He stepped back, immediately realizing what he had done. Hermione's eyes were wide. Draco had never before shouted at her. "I have a  _ right _ ," he started, quiet, but breathing deep with every word, taking all of his might not to raise his voice, "as her father, I have the right to be a part of her life. As much as you thought you could  _ decide _ that, you were completely wrong!" 

Hermione was close to tears. Draco felt a little bad about making her feel guilty, but she absolutely earned this on her own.

He sighed, exhausted from the night he just had. "For now, she stays here, Hermione. You're welcome to take a guest room if you wish to be around her, but you won't take her from me a second time."


	4. Chapter 4

"Dad!"

Draco rolled over, covering his eyes with an arm.

" _ Dad _ !"

"What is it, Scorpius?" the man grumbled, half-asleep.

"Kenzie's in the kitchen! She says she's making us breakfast!"

Draco sat up in bed, immediately remembering that he now had a daughter. He scratched at his chest, yawning. "Alright, son. I'll be down in a few minutes. Thank you."

"What in the bloody hell…!" Draco gasped when he set foot into the kitchen. It was an absolute mess! It appeared McKenzie had the goal to use every pot, pan, dish and utensil that Draco owned. Spilt food was everywhere, on the floor, on the cabinet doors and the counters. Tiny, little nine-year-old shoe prints tracked around the floor.

"Hey, BD," McKenzie greeted through a nervous chuckle. "I thought I would make everyone breakfast! I'm sorry about the mess! I'll clean it up, I promise! Scone?"

Draco eyed the plate of scones that she gestured to. He was surprised to see that they looked picture perfect. He grabbed one off the plate and bit into it. "These are great!" he complimented, savouring the soft, buttery pastry. "Who taught you how to cook?"

"Me and Dad used to cook together, he hosted a food blog, and he had a  _ massive _ following before he disappeared." McKenzie had been removing strips of bacon from a fry pan but had stopped once she had mentioned her dad. "I really miss them," she announced sadly.

"It must be awful to lose them," Draco said, taking over her task of stacking up bacon into a serving dish.

"Yeah," McKenzie whispered. She then snatched the bacon off the counter and left the room. Draco followed her into the dining area, where he was met with an entire breakfast of eggs, toast and parfaits.

"You did all this?" he gaped at his daughter who wore an oversized apron which was covered with flour and dough and red blotches that Draco assumed was juice from berries.

She rolled her eyes. "Well, don't act surprised! How else would I have survived by myself after my mum and dad disappeared?"

"Where did you find the recipes for all of this?" Draco didn't remember owning any recipe books. He normally ordered takeout.

"Oh, I didn't need any."

"Huh?"

"The Analyzer at the orphanage said that I have a photographic memory, that means that when I read something, I remember it forever and ever. So I don't need any written directions once I've already read them."

"You're telling me you made  _ all _ of this from the abundance of recipes that you  _ remembered _ on  _ memory  _ alone?"

McKenzie simply nodded. She was completely oblivious to how remarkable she was.

Draco shook his head in disbelief. "You are definitely Hermione's daughter."

"I read in a book once--"

_ Naturally _ , Draco thought to himself, _ Hermione Granger's daughter would  _ definitely _ be a bookworm. _

"--that children get their smarts from their mothers."

"I wouldn't doubt that at all," Draco politely agreed, sitting down at the table, growing hungrier by the minute.

" _ Wait _ !" McKenzie instantly stopped him from filling his plate. "We must wait for the others, BD!" 

"BD? Why are you calling me that?" he asked, noticing that she had addressed him with it twice already that morning.

"It means birth dad," she supplied to him, in a tone that told him that he should have known this already. "I can't call you  _ dad _ , as I already call my adoptive dad that."

"You could just call me Draco," he offered.

She gasped, horrified at the thought. "No, I  _ cannot _ call you by your  _ name _ ! That's  _ strange _ ! And  _ completely _ inappropriate!"

"I forbid you from calling me BD, it's entirely  _ improper _ !"

"It's  _ modern _ ," she corrected.

"I don't wish to be called by a _ couple of initials _ , McKenzie," he told her firmly.

"Well," she said, removing the soiled apron, revealing a pale yellow dress which did not have one bit of evidence that she had been cooking in it. "I don't know what to tell you. Nothing else is fitting for our situation."

"What's all this?" Hermione came in then, dressed for the day in a strikingly blue dress suit. She always looked amazing in blue.

Draco shifted his eyes down at his black t-shirt and sweatpants. He hadn't thought to dress more formally. It had been several years since he had entertained guests, much less female ones. He felt oddly out of place until his son walked in, just as casually dressed as his father.

"I made breakfast for everyone!" McKenzie announced. "What do you think about it, BM?" She then explained to Hermione what the initials meant.

"What a smart girl you are," Hermione praised her with a huge proud smile, not at all caring about the new name McKenzie had given her.

"It seems you have birthed a child prodigy who remembers every word that comes across her mind," Draco said, standing up from the table as Hermione and the kids took a seat to eat.

"Well, now, Draco, I'm sure she's gotten some smarts from you too," Hermione offered politely. "You're hardly brainless."

She earned a snort from Scorpius with that last comment.

"Excuse us while Scorpius and I return wearing something more appropriate for the meal," Draco said, sending his son a look.

"Appropriate?" Scorpius wondered with a raise of an eyebrow. He never dressed any different at Draco's house, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere offered at the Manor.

"We have guests," Draco supplied for him. "Lady ones. Now up you get."

Scorpius reluctantly followed his father out of the dining room. "So you're going to make me wear a suit like Mum does?" he asked in a low, annoyed voice.

"A pair of trousers and a button up shirt will suffice."

Scorpius disappeared into his room, grumbling about "stupid girls". Draco didn't blame him a bit. When he was young, he also hated having to look nice simply because they had guests over. His parents never let anyone outside the home set eyes on an unkept Malfoy. 

Obviously, Draco had changed since his youth. He didn't like hosting parties and banquets like his parents and Astoria did. Once he became a man, he felt the need to express his opinions more openly-- which never ended well with them. 

Draco hadn't spoken to his parents in years. They were too old fashioned, and they didn't agree on anything Draco did. They hated that he divorced Astoria, uncaring that they just weren't compatible as life partners. They hated that he played quidditch as a profession, and they hated that he had dated several people beneath his blood status. As far as they were concerned, Draco Malfoy was no longer existent. And Draco would be lying if he said he didn't prefer it that way. He was free now. He didn't have to cater to pleasing anyone but himself.

He sighed, thinking about what his father and mother were going to think once they found out he had an illegitimate daughter floating around. It would add the icing to the cake. He was not at all ashamed though. He never regretted dating Hermione, and he didn't regret the product of their relationship.

He smiled to himself at the thought of McKenzie busting around the kitchen, eager to please her new family. Draco used to be the same, doing anything he could to make his parents happy. 

He'd have to make sure his daughter knew that he didn't  _ expect _ her to please him. That she was free to be whoever she wanted to be. 

Draco and Scorpius joined the others shortly after, McKenzie was explaining to Hermione that the things she had chosen to make were actually simple to make that even "babies" could make them.

Neither of the girls had taken a bite of the meal until Draco and Scorpius returned. By then the food was cold, but Hermione easily heated it up with an elegant wave of her wand. They all shared a smile before they finally began to eat.


	5. Chapter 5

"Don't you celebrate Christmas?" McKenzie asked. She spent the day together with Hermione, Draco and Scorpius with the latter two showing her around the massive sized Manor.

"Dad usually hires a group of house elves to decorate for the holidays," Scorpius informed his sister. "But that's not until the second week of December."

"You  _ hire _ elves?" Hermione directed at Draco with a raise of her eyebrows.

Draco nodded, feeling a sudden itch at the back of his neck. His throat felt like cotton, instantly uncomfortable with the subject. "Yeah," he said with a shrug. I can't let Booty do all the work herself."

Hermione tilted her head. "What happened to the rest of your elves?"

Draco shifted his eyes from her curious ones that demanded an answer from him. He proceeded with the tour. "This tower once housed the Minister of Magic for nearly six weeks during the Centaur War in 1697," he explained the history it held, unwilling to answer Hermione.

"He set them free," Scorpius sang like a canary, earning a look from his father.

"Wait,  _ what _ ?!" Hermione gasped. Unfortunately, she was more interested in hearing about the elves and not the history of Draco's Manor.

"That was supposed to remain  _ private _ !" Draco hissed, slightly feeling like his son had betrayed him.

Scorpius shrugged indifferently. "She'd find out eventually."

"Why did you free your elves?" Hermione pressed him for answers.

"Because you were right, okay?!" he burst out, tossing up his hands. "Whoever came up with the idea to  _ enslave _ a creature was absolutely horrid!"

Hermione's mouth tugged into a smile, and her top teeth sank into her bottom lip, sending Draco an amused look. "Do you also hire them from my non-profit group?"

"I do, but that's because some of the elves who willingly accepted my offer are part of your organization. Booty is too old-fashioned though. She didn't want to be freed, she likes stability. But she's also quite old, and not as agile as she used to be. Booty doesn't believe she'd fare well in a free market."

"That's still very sweet," Hermione complimented. "Especially since you don't want any recognition for it."

"It was their request, not mine. Apparently, elves are made to believe that if a master frees them they are utterly worthless. Thus, they didn't want anyone knowing that I freed them. It would look horrible when it hit the papers."

Hermione nodded. "I'm glad I made such an impression on you."

Draco looked away and refrained from clearing his throat. Hermione had done more than that to Draco, but he didn't add anything to that subject.

"Back to the tour then," he announced, barely finding his voice.

"My mum and dad and I decorated for Christmas without any hired help," McKenzie spoke up. She and Scorpius had been quiet while Hermione and Draco had spoken about the house elves.

"Couldn't we do that, Dad?" Scorpius asked, practically pleading of him. "Mum's not doing it this year because of her new boyfriend." He grumbled this, expressing his dislike for Astoria's new fling.

"Yes! We should!  _ Please _ ?!" McKenzie folded up her hands and blinked with wide eyes.

Draco sighed. "I haven't decorated in  _ years _ ."

"BM can help!" Mckenzie suggested, taking Hermione's hand and flashing her a hopeful smile. "Can't you?"

"Hermione is probably too busy with her non-profit duties…" Draco gave her a way out, not wanting her to feel that she had to tag along.

"Well, I  _ do _ have tasks to complete before the holidays are up, but I can certainly find time to help you decorate-- if that's okay with you, Draco?"

He nodded. "It's fine. Perfectly fine."

"When should we start?"

"Tomorrow!" Scorpius said before his father could set a specific date. "I have to go back to Mum's this weekend," he reminded Draco quietly.

"Ah, that's right. Scorpius is spending Christmas with Astoria this year."

"Oh," McKenzie breathed out, disappointed. "So I won't see you again until after Christmas?"

Scorpius silently shook his head.

"That's too bad," Mckenzie responded sadly.

"Tomorrow is good then?" Hermione verified with Draco.

"Perfect. It's a date--" His eyes widened as soon as he said it, causing the other three to giggle. "I mean-- that's not what I meant-- You know that? Right? Decorating won't be a  _ date _ ! That would be ridiculous!"

"Right! It's not a date!" Hermione couldn't maintain her laughter, finding his blushing cheeks amusing.

"Where should I put this?" Scorpius asked the next day. He held up a bell ornament, dangling it from his fingers. He let it sway back and forth, enjoying the musical jingle the movement made.

Hermione gasped. She stared at it, as if it was the most precious thing that she had ever seen. "You  _ kept _ it?" she squeaked and leaned toward Scorpius, taking it from him. She cradled the ornament in cupped hands, peering at Draco with curious eyes.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked with a shrug. "It is a beautiful piece of…" he paused, needing to swallow. His throat had become tight and dry. He took out a string of lights from a large trunk. "It's a beautiful piece of our past," he managed.

"I didn't think you had liked it."

He rolled his eyes. "Of  _ course _ I liked it, Hermione! It was the  _ first _ gift you gave me!" He lifted up a shoulder. "It's special to me."

Tears pooled into Hermione's eyes. "That's so sweet, Draco."

"I'm just a sentimental sap! If you look in that box, I'm sure you'll see the first Christmas gift Astoria gave me."

"It isn't here, Dad, and you know it. You gave it back to Mum after the divorce."

Draco threw a dark look at his son, threatening to strangle him. Scorpius only grinned back.

"No Christmas is complete without mistletoe," McKenzie announced, giving Scorpius a knowing, mischievous wink.

"Indeed. Let's put it up in the foyer!" He took it from his sister, and together, they went off to hang it over the doorway.

"Your son certainly doesn't hold back the reins, does he?" Hermione asked when they were alone.

"Scorpius is very much like Astoria. Both are excessively sneaky and conniving. Don't mind him though, he wants me to start dating again, and I believe he's picked you as the target."

" _ Me _ ?" Hermione raised her eyebrows up.

"Well, I'm only guessing that's why he insists on selling me out any chance he gets. He must like you."

Hermione smiled. "Yeah, he seems like a great kid."

"He is. Just don't trust him with any secrets!" 

*/*

"Oh, are you two a thing again?" Astoria questioned when she saw that Hermione was at Draco's manor.

Hermione laughed. "No, we are just…" She stopped to think about what they were. "Friends…?" She looked at Draco.

"Friends. Sure," he agreed.

"For now anyway," Scorpius said, shrugging to a coat. 

"And what does  _ that _ mean?" his mother asked, not at all a stranger to his cheeky comments.

Scorpius lifted up his arms innocently. "Hey, it's Christmas. You never know! By the way, dad, you and Hermione are standing under the mistletoe!"

Hermione squeaked, looking up to see that the thirteen-year-old was right. Draco went stiff, and his eyes drifted to the floor.

Astoria laughed. "I see what you mean now, son. You two are going to have to kiss, you know what's going to happen if you don't."

"What happens?" Draco asked, snapping his head to look at his ex-wife, genuinely curious.

"Bad luck, of course, BD!" McKenzie came walking in right at the perfect time. Her eyes were shining with excitement. "You can't  _ not _ kiss!"

"I've never been caught under the mistletoe," Draco confessed to Hermione.

"Well, neither have I," Hermione said. "I suppose there's a first for everything, though."

"Do you object to this ridiculous tradition?" he asked softly, somewhat hoping she'd agree to it.

"Did you not just hear them? It's bad luck to refuse a kiss."

"But do you believe in the myth?"

Hermione tilted her head, considering it. "I've learned not to mess around with chance. What is the harm in a simple kiss? It's not like we are a stranger to each other."

His cheeks turned red, and that bloody cotton ball got stuck in his throat again.

"Oh Merlin, would you just do it already?! I've got Theo waiting for my return. We are going bowling tonight!"

" _ Bowling _ ?" Draco scrutinized. "Isn't that a Muggle thing? Since when do you  _ Muggle _ , Astoria?"

Astoria squared her shoulders off. "It's actually quite fun! Now, stop beating around the bush already and kiss her!"

As he turned his head back to face Hermione, she gripped a hold of Draco's shirt, and stood on her tiptoes, lightly pressing her lips to his. 

Draco forgot about where he currently was, and memories of his past with Hermione flashed before his mind. Their quiet nights, playing Muggle board games. Their cooking sessions of her doing most of the cooking while he felt he had to sample everything along the way. The way her hair looked every morning, always in a web of tangles. How her tender lips trailed along his bare skin, sending his hair to stand on end.

She finally broke off the kiss, leaving Draco in a daze. His lungs ached, and he realized that he had been holding his breath the entire time. Draco sucked in air, feeling slightly faint from lack of oxygen.

"Well, isn't that something," Astoria sang out.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Draco demanded. He was now embarrassed that there had been witnesses of that "innocent" kiss Hermione had given him. His eyes flicked to the woman who had stolen that same kiss from him and found that she was rubbing her lips. She had stepped back several steps from him and was avoiding eye contact with him.

"That your son was right, Draco. For  _ now _ , you're just friends, but I bet, by the time this holiday is over, you'll be more than that!"

"Oh, just go home, Astoria! Who the bloody hell asked your opinion!"

"Hmm, denial. Typical. Come along, Scorpius. Let's give your father time to process that  _ remarkable _ kiss!"

"Bye, Dad!" Scorpius waved, wearing the cheekiest grin on his face. "Happy Christmas!"


	6. Chapter 6

"Wow, he's so  _ fast _ !" McKenzie said in awe. Her eyes were glued to the sky, watching a twirling Draco who was looking for the Snitch.

He came flying up to Hermione and McKenzie, giving the girl an excited wave. "How do I look?"

"You look  _ wicked _ up there!" Mckenzie told him, jumping up and down, giggling. She had never been on a broom herself, and had only ever seen people fly on brooms a select few times in her life.

"Malfoy!" his manager hollered. "The Snitch was right behind your head, damnit!  _ Pay _ attention, will ya?"

Draco chased after the golden flutter then, dodging another player who flew into his direct path.

"What is  _ wrong _ with you today?" Darlene scolded when the practice was over and they were all back on solid ground. "If that woman is going to distract you from the game, she needs to not be here!"

"Excuse me, but my daughter is welcome to watch my playing anytime! That is something I will not let you rule over!"

"Your  _ daughter _ ?" The woman was confused.

"Hi!" McKenzie greeted cheerfully, wrapping her arms around Draco's waist. "I'm Kenzie! Draco's my BD-- that means birth dad!"

The team manager narrowed her eyes at the girl before addressing Draco, "A private word, Malfoy.  _ Now _ ."

Draco grunted indignantly, and he told McKenzie that he'd be back in a few.

"She must not like children," McKenzie noted.

Hermione shrugged. "Some people don't, but the rest of us who do, we make up for it!" She squeezed her daughter to her with a satisfied groan. She kissed the top of Mckenzie's head who smiled at the lovely gesture. She remembered her mum used to do that every night before bed.

"I hope I didn't get you in too much trouble," McKenzie said when Draco returned a few minutes later.

"Well, as usual, we had a few ill-spoken words. Darlene suspended me from the team, but I decided that maybe it's time to retire my broom. So I quit!"

McKenzie gasped. "No! But you love playing quidditch! Scorpius told me so! He said it's your  _ life _ !"

Draco smiled. "If I am forbidden from bringing my daughter with me, then it's not worth playing the game!"

Tears welled up in the little girl's eyes. She hugged him, sniffing, fighting the urge to cry. "I'm sorry I got you fired, BD!" 

He picked her up, swaying her gently. "You did no such thing, Kenzie. You are far more important than some sports game. I want to keep you forever and ever!"

That night, Draco tossed the Evening Prophet onto the center of the table, letting out a curse. Hermione had been watching him silently, waiting for a reaction to the front-page-worthy news article of the day, but Mckenzie had been oblivious to it. Until she heard the man mutter the foul language.

The girl stretched her neck up to read the headline, and upon reading the headline, she snatched the paper into her hand.

"Kenzie, maybe you shouldn't read that, honey," Hermione advised. "That's adult gossip, and I'm not sure you'd understand."

" _ Illegitimate _ daughter?" McKenzie scoffed. "Do these editors even  _ know _ what that means? I am  _ not _ illegitimate!" Her voice got quiet. " _ Am _ I?"

"Absolutely  _ not _ ," Hermione and Draco said in unison. Hermione swiped the paper from Mckenzie's hands, rolling it up.

"Did you love each other?" McKenzie wondered, wiping a few fallen tears from her face.

Draco and Hermione exchanged looks. Draco cleared his throat, and Hermione scratched her head. 

"Well, there was a time, when…" Hermione paused, pursing her lips together. "Draco is a great man, Kenzie," she explained. "I deeply cherished the time we had together."

"And you?" McKenzie directed at Draco. "What did you feel about BM?"

"Well, I mean…" He cleared his throat again, incredibly uncomfortable with being put on the spot. His voice was failing him. "We were good together," he finally admitted firmly. 

"So what happened then?" McKenzie asked exasperatedly. "Neither of you deny that you love the other? Tell me what happened!"

"We grew apart," Hermione said. 

"I wasn't paying attention to your mother enough," he admitted quietly. "Huge mistake.  _ Biggest _ mistake of my life."

Hermione tilted her head at him,but he didn't see that she was studying him. He was looking at the table, twiddling his thumbs.

"And  _ I _ didn't make it clear about what I wanted of him," Hermione told her daughter. "We both made mistakes."

"Maybe you could rekindle your flame," McKenzie suggested. "I  _ am _ going to need both a mother and a father. And you must admit, the arrangement that Scorpius has to do between BD and his mum is a nuisance. He doesn't even get to spend  _ Christmas _ with us! That's not really fair..." The girl was now shaking her head sadly. "Besides, that kiss you shared the other morning had to have meant  _ something _ ! You were all googly-eyed afterward!

"I know!" she said suggestively. "Why don't you two talk about it and get back to me?" With that, she skipped out of the room, leaving them on their own.

Neither Hermione nor Draco were eager to discuss their earlier kiss under the mistletoe. They had been avoiding the subject since that day, hoping that the event would be long forgotten. Their lovely daughter wasn't going to let it go though. They really had no choice but to face the music.

"It sparked memories," Draco started, quietly, being the first to break the silence. "The kiss."

"Yeah, me too." Hermione smiled. "You were always thoughtful during our courtship, I remember."

Draco chuckled. "You were often surprising me with something. Remember that time you took me to the Muggle theater? Merlin! That was so long ago!"

"The Nutcracker," Hermione reminisced. "I remember that! You complained because all the men looked silly in those tights!"

"I was jealous, in case you've forgotten."

Hermione laughed. "You said the men stuffed their costumes with socks!"

"They do!"

"They do  _ not _ !"

"It is absolutely  _ impossible _ for  _ every _ man on that stage to each have that much of a  _ bulge _ !"

"It sounds like you know a little too much in that subject," Hermione teased.

"Well, I  _ am _ a man," he pointed out.

"Indeed you are. No need to explain how I know."

Their laughter was cut short as an owl swooped in to drop an envelope into Hermione's lap. The owl, a beautiful, yet undersized barn owl, looked to be exhausted.

"Hello there," Draco greeted the creature softly, offering out his arm. The owl immediately climbed onto it. 

Draco explained to Hermione that he had an owlery where the owl could rest and reclaim her energy. "I'll be right back," he said, knowing the owl needed a good rest and some nutrients before she could start her travel back to wherever she had come from.

When he returned, Hermione's face was pale, and her body was slightly trembling.

"What's wrong," Draco immediately demanded, rushing to her side.

Hermione was silent for a moment before she sat up straight. "This letter is from Brodie Wilson, he is Oliver's brother-- Oliver being Kenzie's adoptive father."

Draco nodded slowly. He suddenly didn't feel so well. He felt like he was going to be sick.

"He wants to meet with me."

"And you're going to?" Draco asked in disbelief.

"The authorities have contacted him, Draco. They want to place Kenzie in his care."

Draco had to sit down. His knees were beginning to shake. The idea of someone taking his baby girl was devastating. 


	7. Chapter 7

"I don't want to hear it!" Draco snarled as he stalked past McKenzie's room, making his way to his own.

"I really think you should go with me," Hermione told him softly.

"What's wrong?" McKenzie asked in alarm, joining them in the hallway. She frowned when Draco stopped and turned around to look at her. His eyes were red. He was fighting not to cry.

"Do you know your uncle Brodie, Kenzie?" Hermione wondered. "Your dad's brother?"

"I see him about once a year," McKenzie answered, eyeing over her birth father. "He's in the service, so he's busy a lot. Why do you ask?"

"He's sent me an owl--" 

Kenzie laughed, extremely amused with the thought. "He  _ did _ ?! Do you know he's  _ Muggle _ ? He doesn't normally understand how we do things. He's awfully silly, but he does try."

Hermione nodded, but Draco remained silent. His jaw was twitching.

"Why are you upset BD?" McKenzie asked carefully. He wasn't typically this quiet.

"Your uncle wants to speak with us--"

"No, he wants to speak with  _ you _ ," Draco retorted icily.

"Only because I've been in contact with the orphanage, and they alerted him of McKenzie's situation as soon as they discovered his existence!" Hermione explained.

"You're afraid he's going to want to take me away from you," McKenzie summarized, sadness in her tone.

"I'll fight for you, Kenzie," Draco spoke up determinedly. "No one is taking you from me again. Not now. Not ever."

McKenzie ran to Draco, and he picked her up, hugging her to him as she wept into his chest. "I want to stay here with you and BM!" she cried out. "I don't want to go!"

Hermione quietly rubbed the child's back as McKenzie broke into sobs, but Hermione wasn't going to say what she was thinking. It was a possibility that there was going to be some ugly business in their near future. 

It wasn't only Draco who wanted to keep McKenzie around. As soon as she had set her eyes on McKenzie less than a week ago, she had known that she had made the biggest mistake of her life. 

Hermione had been given a second chance to be this little girl's mum though, and she wasn't about to throw it away. Not now. Not ever.

Days later, after practically begging him to join her, Hermione and Draco arrived in the city of Inverness where Brodie lived. They walked in silence, neither eager to speak about the upcoming, nerve-racking conversation they were about to endure.

Draco pulled open a door to a large apartment building, holding it for Hermione. 

"He lives in Flat 4," she informed him. 

It was just a few doors down. They stopped in front of it, each holding their breath, hesitant on knocking.

Just as Hermione raised her hand up to rap on the door to alert Brodie of their arrival, the door in front of them pulled open, revealing a stiff, fit older man with brunette hair that was starting to grey. 

"So you are here," he said evenly. His eyes scanned each of them over before he stepped back, permitting them entry. "I have prepared some tea for us." He gestured over to a serving tray. And they were soon joined by his wife.

"This is Martha," he introduced them to the plump woman with curly blond hair. "I can assume you are my niece's biological father?" he directed at Draco.

"I am," Draco stoically answered.

Brodie nodded. "You may both sit down, if you wish. Or you can stand."

"I'll stand, thank you," Draco said. He accepted a cup of tea from Martha who held it out for him. She did the same for Hermione (who sat down in a chair) before making one for herself.

"You may as well know, I am a busy man," Brodie began, taking a seat with his own cup of tea. "I'm hardly even around the home. It wasn't until recently that I heard about my brother's disappearance." He frowned at the thought of his missing brother. "Evidently, Oliver and I haven't been in touch recently. Your authorities have considered him dead for months now, I've been told." Here, Brodie paused to furrow his brow. "It strikes me odd that their bodies haven't been found. I would have expected a little better with your magical abilities, but tragically they are gone either way. Naturally, I am concerned about McKenzie's well-being--"

"We have five children of our own," Martha cut in, and she took a sip of her tea, inhaling a shaky breath. "I will not decline homing my niece, but you should know, we are not young anymore. Having five already to care for, on my own while my husband works, is  _ exhausting _ \--"

"And that's before we even get into the whole witch thing--"

"You have a problem with my daughter being magical?" Draco nearly growled, instantly becoming defensive.

"No, of course not!" Brodie exclaimed. "My brother was Muggleborn, and he was an amazing young man. What I'm trying to say is, I don't wish to put the added stress on my wife, and it really is only right for McKenzie to be raised by people who can embrace her magical abilities. I would not want her education to be stunted in any way. You see, we have tried to grasp many of your customs, but we have failed miserably at it. It's just not something we can grasp when we can't even practice it. Seems… too fairytale like."

Draco nodded approvingly. "You do not wish to take Mckenzie in then?"

"We love her, as if she were our own blood, but if she'll be happier with you, wouldn't that be the best for her? That is, _ if  _ you would like that second chance at being her parents?"

"If you wish to give her up, we will raise her as our own," Martha offered. "She is family, after all."

"Do you mean it?" Hermione asked hopefully, tears flooding her eyes.

"Only if you let us see her every once in a while," Brodie bargained, smiling for the first time of their meeting.

"Her cousins simply  _ adore _ the idea of magic," Martha explained with giggle. "They get so excited when they hear that Mckenzie is coming over for a visit!"

"It's a deal!" Hermione exclaimed, and through their excitement, she and Draco hugged each other, laughing as their nervousness quickly vanished away.

_ One Year Later _

"Catch it, you guys!" McKenzie shrieked as the chocolate frog that she had just given her little cousins came leaping out of its packaging. 

Three, small Muggle children laughed uncontrollably as they chased the enchanted chocolate around the room.

"So are your biological mum and dad finally going to marry each other or what?" McKenzie's cousin Mary wondered. She was the same age as McKenzie, and she was ever the romantic. Mary found their story incredibly fascinating and always asked about how they were doing whenever the girls got together. 

"BD is going to ask her to marry him on Christmas morning," McKenzie informed with an excited shine in her eyes.

"Do you think she'll say yes?"

"I have absolutely no doubts in my mind at all." McKenzie was now grinning. "They kiss a  _ lot _ !  _ Without _ the presence of mistletoe, I might add!"

Mary sighed dreamily. "This is the  _ greatest _ Christmas story I'll ever know! Hallmark needs to seek your family out! I love watching those films!"

McKenzie laughed. "They only need to turn BD into a prince, and I could be his long lost princess!"

Mary gasped. "That's an  _ amazing _ idea!"

Christmas was an absolute joyful day. McKenzie watched as Draco proposed to Hermione who said yes before pulling him up from his knee and kissing him.

McKenzie cheered, ecstatic that their family would now be official. She jumped up from her mountain of Christmas gifts and crashed into her birth parents, hugging them, tears falling from her eyes.

Scorpius, who had got to spend Christmas with his father that year, cheered out in delight. "It's about ruddy time! I thought you'd never marry!" 

"We've got a surprise for you," Draco said to the both of them. 

"Another gift?" McKenzie asked, baffled at the amount she had already received. "Honestly, you're spoiling me-- not that I mind my new broom!"

Hermione laughed. "This is a gift to us all," she paused dramatically, putting a hand to her stomach, sharing a smile with Draco.

McKenzie's eyes widened. "You're going to have a baby?!" she squeaked out. 

" _Whoa_!" Scorpius gasped, putting his hands up to his head in complete shock. "Are you serious?!"

"Indeed," Draco confirmed, chuckling over their reaction. 

"You best not adopt this one out!" McKenzie teased Hermione, shaking a finger at her.

"Oh, we've decided to keep this one.  _ Together _ ."

Draco nodded, swiping his daughter into his arms, squeezing her tight enough to make her squeal. He then motioned for his son to join his side, and placed an arm around his shoulders. "Together is right!  _ All _ of us will be together! Forever!"

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas. I know 2020 has been one of the worst years many of us have been through. Try to stay positive. 
> 
> *Hugs to all*


End file.
